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Jude Kearney to Make Strong Case for United States of America (US) Africa Collaboration on Energy Investments

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4 years ago

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Jude Kearney

Jude Kearney is committed to making energy poverty history in Africa, and will be coming to African Energy Week to promote US energy investments, improved US-Africa partnerships and driving socioeconomic growth on the back of oil and gas

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, August 29, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Africa’s oil and gas resources will continue to play a key role in making energy poverty history by 2030, with the resources themselves offering the solution to long-term socioeconomic growth on the back of improved access to electricity and revamped industrialization. As such, the continent’s premier event for the oil and gas industry, African Energy Week (AEW) (www.AECWeek.com) – taking place from October 18-21, 2022 in Cape Town – serves as the official platform for new deals to be signed, partnerships formed and investment commitments secured, with a suite of stakeholders coming to discuss the future of African energy. Joining these stakeholders, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) is proud to announce that Jude Kearney, former United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Services Industries and Trade Finance, will attend the conference in October to lead discussions and drive deals.  

As a lawyer with a commitment to making energy poverty history in Africa, insight from Kearney will be key for unlocking new investment, strengthening U.S.-Africa partnerships

Kearney, a pioneer in the energy investment landscape, is committed to advising both public and private sector clients with respect to African-based transactions. Recognizing the role oil and gas continues to play in industrializing Africa, accelerating socioeconomic growth while unlocking a new era of improved energy access and security, Kearney works directly with U.S. clients within the energy, telecommunications, infrastructure and finance fields, providing counsel on commercial relationships and strengthening business by U.S. companies in Africa. With the pursuit for enhanced foreign investment increasing rapidly in Africa, stakeholders such as Kearney will be key for unlocking a new era of hydrocarbon financing in a post-COVID-19, energy transition context.

Backed by a wealth of experience in the oil and gas, project financing, mergers and acquisitions, and privatization landscape, Kearney is well positioned to not only lead discussions regarding foreign investment and doing business in Africa, but represents the ideal facilitator of new oil and gas deals that are set to be brought to the table during AEW 2022. For his part, and based in the U.S., Kearney’s expertise on African markets will be critical for both U.S. and African stakeholders coming to AEW 2022 to sign deals and drive new developments in Africa.

“The chamber is proud to have Jude Kearney confirm his attendance and participation at AEW 2022 – the biggest energy event taking place in Africa in 2022. As a lawyer with a commitment to making energy poverty history in Africa, insight from Kearney will be key for unlocking new investment, strengthening U.S.-Africa partnerships and laying the foundation for accelerated oil and gas developments in Africa. We look forward to the discussions that will be led by Kearney during AEW 2022 and urge current and potential delegates to seize this opportunity to network with an industry pioneer such as Kearney,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

For African stakeholders looking at expanding their networks internationally, partnering with U.S. investors and companies, and improving foreign investment in emerging project developments, engaging and gaining insight from speakers such as Kearney will help usher in a new era of collaboration and business. Meanwhile, for U.S. companies interested in expanding their footprints in Africa, capitalizing on new opportunities emerging across the continent’s oil and gas landscape, Kearney serves as the ideal facilitator and advisor for African-based transactions. As such, during AEW 2022, Kearney will lead discussions, participate in investor forums and help drive the narrative that oil and gas will have a specific role to play in Africa’s energy future.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Week (AEW).

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Via Licensing Alliance Expands Voice Codec Program with New Licensee, New Licensors, Publishes Comprehensive Pool Rate Structure

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May 22, 2026

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Via Licensing Alliance

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Via Licensing Alliance (Via) today announced continued momentum for its Voice Codec patent pool, including the addition of a new unnamed licensee and new licensors, NovaVoice Limited and Cordial IP, further growing the program’s patent stack and market penetration from its initial five, large global licensors.

The addition of the new licensee, unnamed at this time, reflects growing industry adoption of the collaborative licensing pathway Via’s Voice Codec program creates for accessing IP rights to critical voice technologies. This addition reflects a growing market uptake of advanced voice technologies, including EVS and IVAS, driven by rising demand as 5G and 5G-Advanced technologies are adopted worldwide.

Additionally, Via continues to prioritize transparency and has published its full rate structure for the Voice Codec pool, providing further clarity and predictability for implementers and to the broader market. For implementers, the full rate structure allows for complete visibility as they consider the appropriate royalty structure to choose from to meet their product level costs, evaluate future growth paths for their product lines, or plan their geographical expansion plan needs. This level of disclosure not only reduces uncertainty in licensing decisions but also enables more consistent benchmarking, reinforcing confidence in fair, market-aligned SEP licensing practices. The program’s royalty rates are listed on Via’s website at https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#license-fees.

The addition of the new licensors indicates increased interest from patent holders in licensing their voice technology SEPs through highly efficient, aggregated licensing vehicles such as patent pools. Future growth in both the licensor list and the number of patents consolidated through the pool license will continue to enhance the value of the Voice Codec License for implementers. Via’s Voice Codec program licensors are listed here: https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#licensors.

Via’s Voice Codec pool covers Enhanced Voice Services (EVS), which supports voice communications across more than one billion and growing active devices globally, as well as Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS), which will play a central role in next-generation voice and spatial audio applications.

“We are pleased to welcome these new entrants to our pool, which signal continued growth and momentum our Voice Codec program,” said Kevin Mack, President of Via Licensing Alliance. “This pool license offers strong value relative to other market options and represents the only collaborative licensing solution for EVS and IVAS technologies, making it a smart and efficient pathway for companies seeking to license critical voice capabilities.”

EVS remains a foundational technology for high-quality voice communications in 5G and 5G-Advanced networks, with adoption continuing to expand as 5G, 5G-Advanced and future network iterations reach global scale. As spatial audio and advanced voice technologies expand into 6G and a broader range of non-cellular devices, the importance of IVAS technologies is expected to increase, with Via’s pool offering an early and effective licensing pathway.

For more information about the Voice Codec patent pool, including information for prospective licensees, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

About Via Licensing Alliance:
Via Licensing Alliance is the collaborative licensing leader, dedicated to accelerating global technology adoption, fostering participation, and generating return on innovation with balanced licensing solutions for innovators and manufacturers of all sizes around the globe. Via has operated dozens of licensing programs for a variety of technologies. Via is an independently managed company owned by industry-leading participants with over 25 years of intellectual property licensing leadership. For more information about Via, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

 

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Joint statement welcoming the Republic of Togo’s announcement on Visa facilitation for African nationals

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5 hours ago

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May 22, 2026

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Togo

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda

LOMÉ, Togo, May 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The AfCFTA Secretariat and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) welcome the announcement by the Government of the Republic of Togo, under the leadership of H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of the Republic of Togo, regarding measures to facilitate visa-free entry for all nationals of African States holding valid passports, as announced by the Minister of Security on 18 May 2026.

The announcement was made in Lomé on the sidelines of Biashara Afrika 2026, the continent’s premier trade and business platform, which has brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, investors, and stakeholders from across Africa to advance dialogue on intra-African trade, investment, and regional integration.

Throughout the engagements, participants underscored the importance of facilitating the movement of African citizens, entrepreneurs, and investors as an important enabler of intra-African trade and economic cooperation. Against this backdrop, the announcement reflects the growing continental momentum towards strengthening connectivity and deepening African integration.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank, to which Togo is a State Party and a Member State, envision a continent where goods, services, capital, and people move more freely across borders in support of an integrated African market. Measures that facilitate mobility and connectivity continue to contribute towards advancing the broader mandate of both institutions; the attainment of the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Morocco: African Development Bank commits €200 Million to boost employability and develop future skills

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5 hours ago

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May 22, 2026

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Morocco

This results-based financing is designed to strengthen the relevance, quality, and diversity of vocational training through the digitalisation of services, the large-scale rollout of learning systems, and stronger labour market integration mechanisms

RABAT, Morocco, May 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved €200 million in financing for the implementation of the “Cap Compétences 2030” programme, aimed at improving employment opportunities for young people and women.

 

This results-based financing is designed to strengthen the relevance, quality, and diversity of vocational training through the digitalisation of services, the large-scale rollout of learning systems, and stronger labour market integration mechanisms.

 

Cap Compétences 2030 is built around three pillars: skills development and strategic partnerships; inclusive training aligned with business needs; and digital transformation, supported by stronger institutional and operational capacity. The programme will also consolidate existing mechanisms while improving both their efficiency and reach.

 

Through the initiative, the African Development Bank seeks to expand access to diversified training opportunities and enhance the professional integration of beneficiaries into the labour market.

Our shared objective is to harness the demographic dividend to support value creation and promote employment, particularly for young people and women

 

Achraf Tarsim, Country Manager of the African Development Bank Group in Morocco, said Cap Compétences 2030 aligns with the priorities of the country’s National Employment Roadmap 2025–2030 and the Bank’s strategic vision under its Four Cardinal Points (https://apo-opa.co/3PDHMHn). “Our shared objective is to harness the demographic dividend to support value creation and promote employment, particularly for young people and women,” he said.

 

The Bank’s intervention is being implemented in close coordination with technical and financial partners to strengthen coherence and complementarity in support of public policy reforms.

 

This programme reflects the Bank’s long-term engagement in Morocco in the areas of human development, employment, and social inclusion. It also builds on a broader portfolio of results-based operations that contribute to structural reforms of the labour market and vocational training system.

 

Since its establishment, the African Development Bank Group has mobilised more than €15 billion across strategic sectors in Morocco, including education, health, employment, infrastructure, energy, and governance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

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